Foreigner's I Want To Know What Love Is: The Meaning Behind The Song | Louder

About the Song

Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is” is a power ballad that has been a staple of classic rock radio since its release in 1984. The song was written by Mick Jones and Lou Gramm, and it features a soaring melody, powerful vocals, and a memorable guitar riff.

The song’s lyrics are about the search for true love. The narrator has experienced heartbreak and pain in the past, but he is still hopeful that he will one day find love. He sings, “I’ve traveled so far to change this lonely life / I want to know what love is.”

“I Want to Know What Love Is” was a commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It has also been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song has been covered by many artists, including Michael Bolton, Tina Turner, and Whitney Houston.

The song’s enduring popularity is a testament to its universal message of hope and love. It is a song that has resonated with listeners of all ages for generations.

In addition to its commercial success, “I Want to Know What Love Is” has also been praised by critics. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1985. It has also been included on several lists of the greatest rock songs of all time.

“I Want to Know What Love Is” is a powerful and moving song that has had a lasting impact on popular culture. It is a song that continues to inspire and uplift listeners around the world.

Here are some additional details about the song:

  • The song was originally released as the lead single from Foreigner’s fifth album, Agent Provocateur.
  • The song was produced by Mick Jones and Keith Olsen.
  • The song’s music video features the band performing the song in a variety of locations, including a church, a forest, and a mountaintop.
  • The song has been used in several films and television shows, including “The Wedding Singer”, “The Big Lebowski”, and “Scrubs”.

Artist of the Week: Foreigner – BlackLight Radio

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Lyrics: I Want To Know What Love Is

I gotta take a little time
A little time to think things over
I better read between the lines
In case I need it when I’m olderNow this mountain I must climb
Feels like a world upon my shoulders
Through the clouds I see love shine
It keeps me warm as life grows colderIn my life there’s been heartache and pain
I don’t know if I can face it again
Can’t stop now, I’ve traveled so far
To change this lonely lifeI wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is
I know you can show meI’m gonna take a little time
A little time to look around me
I’ve got nowhere left to hide
It looks like love has finally found meIn my life there’s been heartache and pain
I don’t know if I can face it again
I can’t stop now, I’ve traveled so far
To change this lonely life

I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is
I know you can show me

I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
And I wanna feel, I want to feel what love is
And I know, I know you can show me

Let’s talk about love
I wanna know what love is, the love that you feel inside
I want you to show me, and I’m feeling so much love
I wanna feel what love is, no, you just cannot hide
I know you can show me, yeah

I wanna know what love is, let’s talk about love
I want you to show me, I wanna feel it too
I wanna feel what love is, I want to feel it too
And I know and I know, I know you can show me
Show me love is real, yeah
I wanna know what love is…

 

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Dolly Parton turned a simple handmade coat into one of the most powerful songs of her life because to her, it was never really about the fabric. “Coat of Many Colors” sprang directly from Dolly’s growing-up years in East Tennessee. Her mother, Avie Lee, pieced the jacket together by sewing colorful rags the family already owned. Cash was mighty tight, so there was no running down to the store for brand-new clothes. Instead, Avie Lee took what was on hand and stitched together something warm for her little girl to wear. While the needle flew, she shared the Bible story of Joseph and his coat of many colors, turning an ordinary piece of clothing into something special in Dolly’s eyes. Proudly wearing that coat to school, Dolly felt rich, but the other kids saw it differently. They laughed at the patches and teased her for having so little. Years down the road, Dolly penned those childhood memories into “Coat of Many Colors.” Released in 1971, the tune became a shining example of why her songwriting touched so many souls. She never tried to hide hard times or dress up her youth to look prettier than it was. She simply laid the sting of teasing side-by-side with the deep love that stitched the coat together, letting that honest truth speak for itself. The song eventually grew far beyond that original vinyl record. Its spirit inspired the 2015 television movie Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors, followed by Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love the very next year. Those films opened a window into Dolly’s mountain home, introducing folks to the hardworking parents and siblings who shaped her long before the bright lights found her. By then, Dolly had worn glittering stage gowns worth more than her family could ever have dreamed. Yet the garment folks remember best remains that humble little coat stitched by a mother’s loving hands when buying something new simply wasn’t in the cards. That is why the memory stayed alive. The scraps faded away, but the lesson underneath never did.